


Second Chances

by Sarita1046



Category: Being Human (UK), Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-20 20:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10669863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarita1046/pseuds/Sarita1046
Summary: After saving her own world, Annie meets the chance to explore a whole new existence.





	Second Chances

Annie never got to see Nina…or Mitchell. Though she’d rather supposed that Mitchell wouldn’t have made it to where the rest of them had.

However, it seemed George was full of explanations.

“I don’t understand,” Annie pressed. “Where is everyone else? Not that I’m not thrilled to see you, just…where are the others?”

“Like I said, Annie!" George exclaimed, obviously also overjoyed to be cradling baby Eve once again, "We all only see what we need to see here. You’re seeing me right now because I have a message for you.” 

George’s eyes shone with an excitement she hadn’t seen in years. It was touching, if also confusing.

“A message from whom?” She was at a loss. “You haven’t seen the men with sticks and rope, have you?”

“No!” George practically squealed, “Don’t you see? This is a good thing! You’re going to be sent back!”

“What?” Annie couldn’t believe it. “You mean to Earth?”

“To the land of the living, whatever you like to call it!”

Annie knew better than to look any gift horse – or friend – in the mouth. “Mhm. Who told you this?”

“No one, really. I just… _felt_ the message. Listen, I know it sounds like utter rubbish, but I swear…”

“Why?” Annie decided it couldn’t hurt to humor the situation. 

“You’ve apparently piqued someone’s interest.”

“Someone…okay. And I’ll just be a ghost all over again? Invisible to everyone, just like before?”

If this were true, she supposed she could try and track down Hal and Tom…and Alex.

“Say hi to Tom,” was all George left her with as she was whisked away in a flash of white light. 

 

The first novelty Annie’s senses picked up was the sound of a voice. It was a rich voice, yet nearly grating at the same time.

“Greetings, Annie.” It took Annie a moment to realize that the speaker hovered just next to her ear. 

Catching her breath in her throat to keep herself from jumping, Annie steeled her resolve. 

Mustn’t appear frightened. If this was hell – if this person was the devil – well, she would go down fighting.

“Look me in the eye, please,” she requested stonily as she glanced around. “Come out and show your face.”

“Mm, you’re not one to play games,” the voice replied as a hand touched her arm. 

Annie spun around to face a tall man with dark hair and dark eyes. He wore all black, in stark contrast to the white that surrounded them. 

“Are you a ghost?” Best try to solidify some common ground.

“Certainly, my dear,” the man grinned. “I’ll be your ghost…if you agree to be my companion. Help liven up an otherwise drab existence.”

“Back with the living?” Annie ventured.

“Yes,” the man replied. “Among the humans. I’m Q, pleased to meet you, Annie.”

“Why me? Why can I go back? I’ve already gone back twice…”

“Ah, yes. Hence the intrigue. You’ve certainly defied the physical laws of your plane. Not one to follow the rules...I respect that a great deal.” That smirk was back.

“My plane? So…you’re not a ghost?”

“So many questions…and so much power. I like it,” he shot her an amused if mischievous grin.

Why on earth was she such a magnet for bizarre men?

“So…Q? Is that short for something?”

“My people are all called Q,” the being responded, “I’m the one who enjoys watching over you…humans in particular.”

“An angel…”

“Guess again. Something a bit further from religion. Further from anything you’ve ever dreamed of…”

Annie’s eyes widened. No way. Just when she thought there were enough supernatural creatures on Earth alone…

“You’re not a Time Lord, are you?” This was all just so cockeyed, she simply had to toss in a little humor. 

“Goodness, no,” Q chuckled, “It takes us far less time to travel across dimensions than that fictitious species.”

"But the men on the radio...with the sticks..."

"Not all of us play fairly, dear. Our Continuum has its interference, and I happen to follow it. Especially when it comes to interested specimen like yourself." He chimed in. 

Continuum, indeed. Annie decided to let well enough alone for now.

“So what’s the catch?” May as well get this over with. No matter how enticing his offer was and how much strange charm he was emanating.

“You spend some time with me. The teleportation, telekinesis…all the incredible abilities you’ve had as a ghost…you’ll retain on Earth.”

“Retain?”

“That’s right, Annie,” his dark eyes sparkled now, “You’ll be reinstated as a living human. Mortal, of course. But alive - and finally able to have a change of attire.”

Self-consciously pulling her grey cardigan tighter about her shoulders, she had to ask again. “…Why?”

“Because, my girl, you’ve saved the human race. And humanity just happens to be my favored species.”

Out of how many, she found herself wondering. 

"This many," the creature whispered, holding out a hand, palm up. Had he read her mind?

Gradually, a dark sphere materialized centimeters above his palm, tiny dots shimmering across nearly every visible space. "Each light is a different galaxy, each of which contains millions of worlds."

As he dropped his hand toy toy briefly with one of her dark curls, the sphere continued levitating in the short distance between them. That was when Annie found her voice again. “And I’ll use my powers to help people?”

Q scoffed a bit and Annie’s eyes narrowed. “If you wish. The abilities will be yours to do as you like on your own time. Your time on Earth will be for you, as it’s far too small for me. Even humans are only truly exciting when they’re quenching their curiosity out in space.”

“In space?”

“Yes, Annie,” Q circled behind her and lowered his lips to the shell of her ear once again. “You once asked the tiny man who took your life….”'If I exist what else does?'” 

Annie felt a chill at the perfect imitation of her voice, as if he had played back a recording.

He continued, "So if all you've seen since your death exists on that small planet of yours, haven't you ever wondered what else the universe might hold?"

“What about my friends?” Annie insisted, already feeling her anticipation rise past the point of no return.

“Ah, yes. As I said, you’ll be mortal. Once you’ve lived the happy – if brief – life you were meant to lead, you’ll come back for good and it’ll be a real reunion. Who knows - perhaps you'll even see your vampire friend again.”

Just how powerful _was_ this creature? 

He stepped before her again and held out a black-gloved hand. Unlike Mitchell’s fingerless gloves, Q’s fingers were covered. 

“Spend as much time as you like on Earth…see your friends and family again. Be with them for the course of their lives, if you wish Then spend the rest of your time exploring the universe with me. Once you grow tired of all the wonders of existence, you'll find yourself back here. You have my word. After all, only a very unique segment of humanity deserves to witness the cosmos in all its wonder. To discover exactly how the universe works. What say you, Annie? Are you ready to cross a threshold unlike any other? A door of which you've never even conceived?”

 _What the hell_ , Annie thought, and took his hand. 

It was rather like rent-a-ghosting, she thought as they dissipated in a blinding flash of light.

**Author's Note:**

> Bizarre little idea. Just figured Annie needed some fun after all she'd been through - not to mention she strikes me as a far better traveling companion than Vash. xD


End file.
